Stressed

Chapter 11 : Embarrassment and fights

Chapter 11

Later that night...

Riker POV

I couldn't sleep. I wasn't afraid to sleep because of the nightmares. Ok, actually maybe a little... But that's not why I couldn't sleep.

I remembered my shirt was still on the sand out there. And I wanted it back.

I decided to go see if Skye was awake. Everyone had gone to sleep about 2 hours ago, but maybe she was awake...

I snuck down the hall to her and Rydel's room.

"Skye," I whispered.

Nothing...

"Skye."

Still nothing...

I snuck downstairs, and out the front door. I slowly walked on the cold sand. There was a slight breeze, and it sent chills up my spine. I hate the ocean, I hate darkness, and being alone makes this 10 times worse.

I could barely see. The moon wasn't very bright tonight. I kept walking closer to the shore. I stepped on something that wasn't sand, and gasped, jumping back. I bent down, and I could see it was my shirt.

I picked it up, and slowly walked over to the ocean. I flinched a little when my toes touched the water. I walked in to about my knees, and washed the sand off my shirt. I squeezed the water out, and was about to go back to the house, when something touched my foot.

I jumped backwards, deeper into the water. I felt it again, and started backing up.

I'd worn shorts to bed, and I was in so deep that the bottom of my shorts were getting slightly wet. I kept backing up, not realizing what I was doing. I just wanted to get away from whatever touched me!

I got knocked over by a wave, sending me flying face first into the water. I held on tight to my shirt, not wanting to lose it.

I stood up again, coughing. I slid the second shirt over the one I was already wearing so I wouldn't have to carry it.

And then realization hit.

I'm in the freaking ocean.

Tears poked at my eyes as my breathing and heart rate picked up. I was hyperventilating, frozen in place. I felt like I couldn't move.

I covered my face with my hands, feeling waves crashing into the back of me. One of them knocked me over, and I was suddenly able to move again. I stood up quickly, and started sprinting back to the beach house.

I took off both shirts and my shorts before I went inside. I squeezed them out, and then quietly ran up the stairs to the bathroom. I was crying, but was trying to make sure no one would hear it.

I flicked the light on, staring at myself in the mirror. All I saw was a scared blonde boy, standing in his underwear. And I didn't like it. I didn't like what I'd become, always terrified of everything.

I heard soft knocks on the bathroom door.

"Riker?"

I opened the door, and saw Skye. I grabbed her hand, pulled her in, and shut the door.

"What are you... Why... Riker?"

I sat on the bathroom counter, wiping away my tears.

"I almost died!" I whispered.

"What? What's going on? Why are you all wet? Where are your clothes?"

"I left my shirt on the beach. And I went to get it. I washed it off in the ocean, and something touched me!"